An elegant, comprehensive book documenting Carmel's unlikely emergence as a vibrant urban center.
Over 200 full-color pages (9" x 12"), beautifully hard-bound, and containing over 300 photos by local photojournalist Zach Dobson.
Once a small Quaker town, Carmel, Indiana, is now a city of more than 80,000 people and growing. What has set Carmel apart from most other communities surrounding major cities in the United States has been its focus on creating a more walkable, traditional city instead of the typical sprawling suburb.
As mayor of the city of Carmel for nearly two decades, James Brainard has brought together civic and business leaders, developers and members of the local community to create a vibrant city with a bustling downtown. By planning ahead, Carmel has avoided the congestion of collector roads that dot the suburban American landscape. Instead, a grid system of small streets with roundabout intersections has given residents smoother, safer commutes.
Carmel's Arts & Design District is home to many galleries, shops and restaurants. In addition, the business-friendly city boasts one of the most concentrated office districts in the state of Indiana.
One of the most recent additions to Carmel's downtown is a 1,600 seat concert hall, the Palladium, which hosts symphonies and musical acts from around the world.
Written by
The Honorable James Brainard, Mayor
City of Carmel
Mayor Jim Brainard is Carmel's first five-term mayor. During that time, Carmel has grown in population from 32,000 to more than 80,000. Park land, greenspace and trails have increased. The creation of an Arts & Design District and a new downtown called City Center have helped create a vibrant thriving city where companies want to locate, where employees want to live and where families want to raise their children. Mayor Brainard is frequently asked to speak around the world about city planning, redevelopment and roadway networks.
Mayor Brainard spearheaded the redevelopment in the Old Town area of Carmel into an Arts & Design District, which has transformed a much neglected original center of town into a thriving district with galleries, restaurants, shops and community events attracting thousands of visitors each year and the attention of the national and international media.
As part of the City Center project to create a downtown for Carmel, Mayor Brainard incorporated world-class cultural and entertainment venues. The Center for the Performing Arts in City Center includes the Palladium, a state-of-the-art, 1,600-seat concert hall, the Tarkington, a 500-seat proscenium theater and the 200-seat Studio Theater. Mayor Brainard was also successful in gaining the talent of Michael Feinstein as the Artistic Director for the Center as well as integrating Feinstein's Foundation for the Preservation for the Great American Songbook into the cultural options at the Center. All of these venues, including an outdoor amphitheater named Rotary Centennial Plaza, opened in 2011.